Both parties were said to be close to reaching an agreement earlier this month but that offer is no longer on the table and the 27-year-old is now prepared to wait until the summer to secure a lucrative free transfer.

Back in August, Emery was emphatic in his desire to keep Ramsey, saying: ‘My opinion is clear, I want him to be with us. He’s the type of player I want in this team. But the contract is one thing only for the club and the player.’

Ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Watford, however, the Spaniard was less committal, insisting there were three aspects to consider when weighing up Ramsey’s future and insisting the balance of the team will always be his priority.

He said: ‘There are three elements, three aspects. One is the player and also the player with their family and representatives. The other is the club and the other is the squad. My focus is always on the team.

‘My focus is preparing with the players and only thinking about the match tomorrow.

‘Each player has individual aspects to work or to do or to speak with the club or with the team, but my aspect for the focus, only to think, is the matches and preparing for the matches and to speak with the players if they are thinking and are very concentrated on work for giving us the best performance and to help the collective performance.’